Adjustable form device



Nov. 29, w66

Filed June 22, 1964 A. L SIMPSON 3,2%?126 ADJUSTABLE FORM DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

Ov- 29, 1966 A. L SIMPSON ADJUSTABLE FORM DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 22, 1964 I NV EN TO R. fx A www/V United States Patent O 3,288,426 ADJUSTABLE FURM DEVICE Alex L. Simpson, 1956 S. California St., Stockton, Calif. Filed .lune 22, 1964, Ser. No. 376,653 lltl Claims. (Cl. 249-192) This invention relates to an adjustable form device and more particularly to a form for the pouring of concrete which is readily adjustable to selective lengths to facilita-te use of the samel A primary object of this invention is the provision of an adjustable form device which is sturdy and durable in construction, reliable and eiiicient in operation, and relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, assemble, utilize, and maintain.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a device of the type described comprising a pair of telescopingly engaged form members having substantially aligned molding surfaces with means to secure the entire device to a supporting surface.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an adjustable form device which may be utilized to mold straight sections, corners, batter sections, and jogged sections.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of an adjustable form device with specific strengthening means to preclude undesirable warping or bending of the molding surface under the pressure of the concrete.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide spreader means for positioning a pair of oppositely disposed adjustable form devices to define a concrete receiving cavity therebetween, in certain instances the spreader means accommodating adjustable form devices of different heights, the lower form device determining the grade level.

A further object of this invention is to provide in combination with the adjustable form device, a form aligning means to move a particular portion of a form which is misaligned by being lbowed in a longitudinal direction either inwardly or outwardly of the concrete receiving cavity.

An additional object of the instant invention is to provide an adjustable form device having in combination therewith an improved means for securing the same to a supporting surface such as the ground or the like.

Other and further objects reside in the combination of elements, arrangement of parts, and features of construction.

Still other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out as the description of the invention proceeds as shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE l is a top plan view of one embodiment of the adjustable form device of the instant invention, a particular strengthening means being shown carried thereby, and one form of means for securing the device to a supporting surface being illustrated in conjunction therewith;

FIGURE 2 is a rear elevational view thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view through a pair of oppositely disposed form devices showing the use of a spreader therewith to space the molding surfaces thereof sufficiently to define a concrete receiving cavity therebetween;

FIGURE 3A is a transverse cross-sectional view through another embodiment of an adjustable form device in accordance with the instant invention Showing a modified form of strengthening means utilized therewith;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of a corner form member for use with the adjustable form device of the instant invention;

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FIGURE 5 is a rear elevational view of the embodiment of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of a corner form having batter molding surfaces;

FIGURE 7 is a rear elevational view of the embodiment of lFIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional view through one form member of an adjustable form device in accordance with the instant invention showing the use Iof a form aligning means therewith;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of an adjustable form device utilized for making jogs in a batter form;

FIGURE 10 is a rear elevational view of the form shown in FIGURE 9 utilized in an inverted position, a slightly modified means for securing the device to the supporting surface being shown in conjunction therewith;

FIGURE 1l is a transverse cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 11-11 of FIGURE l0;

FIGURE l2 is a front elevational view of an adjustable form device in accordance with the instant inventive concept utilizing an equalizing member dimensioned to exactly align the molding surfaces of the two form members with each other;

FIGURE 13 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 13-13 0f FIGURE l2;

FIGURE 14 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of a form having a batter molding surface;

FIGURE 15 is a transverse cross-sectional view through opposed forms having batter molding surfaces showing the concrete element formed thereby;

FIGURE 16 is an enlarged top plan view of a flexible spring means for holding the stake shown in FIGURES 1 to 3 or l0 and ll against the form members;

FIGURE 17 is an enlarged top plan view of the means for securing the stake of the form aligning means of FIGURE 8 to the aligning member;

FIGURE 18 is a top plan view of an integral corner form member for use with the adjustable form device of the instant invention;

FIGURE 19 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 19--19 of FIGURE 18;

FIGURE 2O is a fragmentary elevational view of opposed form members of the adjustable form devices of the instant invention of different heights separated by a modified spreader;

FIGURE 2l is a transverse cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 21-21 of FIGURE 20; and

FIGURE 22 is a schematic fragmentary top plan view showing the use of the forms in FIGURES 9 or l0 to define a jog in the concrete product.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings in general and more particularly to FIGURES l to 3, one embodiment of adjustable form device in accordance with the instant inventive concept is designated generally by the reference numeral 30 and comprises -basically a first form member 32 and a second form member 34 telescopingly received in the iirst form member 32 with means 36 to secure the form device 30 to a supporting surface such as the ground 38. Each of the form members is substantially C-shap-ed in crosssection as seen particularly in FIGURE 3 including upper and lower substantially horizontal arms 40, 42 and 44, 46, a substantially vertical connecting leg 48, 50 extending between the vertically aligned ends of the arms of each form member, the outer surfaces of the legs 48, 50 defining molding surfaces which as will be seen particularly in FIGURE 3, are disposed in opposed, spaced relationship with respect to each other to define therebetween a concrete receiving cavity 52, each of the form members further including upper and lower substantially vertical flange members 54, 56, and S8, 60 extending toward each other in spaced relationship to the legs 48, 50. A plurality of vertical braces 62, 64 may interconnect the tianges 54, 58 and 56, 60 to rigidify the form members 32, 34.

In this embodiment a strengthening means is included comprising an elongated rigid channel 66 secured to the inner surface of the leg 50 to decrease the possibility of buckling of the same with an elongated rigid rod 68 slidably received in the channel 66 and having portions extending in juxtaposition to the inner surface of the leg 48 to brace the same against bowing under the pressure of the concrete. The endV portion of the rod 68 is supported by a flexible member in the form of a chain or the like 70 carrying a hook 72 which is selectively engaged in one of a plurality of spaced apertures 74 defined in the upper fiange 54 of the form member 32.

A modified strengthening means is shown in FIGURE 3A wherein parts similar to the embodiment of FIGURES 1 to 3 are designated by the same reference numeral followed by the suffix a. This strengthening means comprises a first elongated rigid angle member 76 secured to the leg 50a and defining a perpendicularly offset flange 78, and a second elongated rigid angle member 80 having portions defining a perpendicularly offset flange 82 slidingly received on the offset fiange 78 with portions (not shown) of the second angle member 80 extending into juxtaposition to the inner surface of the leg 48a to rigidify the same, and means in the form of a C-clamp 84 for securing the first and second angle members 76, 80 to each other in adjusted relation.

Either of the strengthening means described hereinbefore may be utilized with any of the embodiments in the remainder of the figures, although they have been deleted from the drawings for illustrative clarity.

The means 36 for securing the form device 30 to the supporting surface 38 as shown in FIGURES 1 to 3 comprises at least one stake 86 drivable into the supporting surface 38 and slidingly receiving a collar member 88 having offset portions defining a notch 90 engaged with the upper fiange of one of the form members, a set screw 92 being provided for securing the collar member 88 to the stake 86 in adjusted relation. The portions defining the notch 90 are shown as a pair of angularly offset U-shaped arms, the ends of which may be slid upwardly under the ange portion of the form member before tightening the set screw 92. A resilient member in the form of a spring 94 shown enlarged in FIGURE 16 having oppositely disposed hooks 96 at its ends is secured over the stake 86 with the hooks 96 engaged in selected apertures 98 defined in the lower fianges of the form members on opposite sides of the stake 86. It will be readily seen that a plurality of such means 36 may be utilized in longitudinally spaced relationship to secure various portions of the form device 30 to supporting surface 38.

A spreader is shown at 100 in FIGURE 3 as including a pair of U-shaped portions 102, 104 dimensioned to be slidingly received over the upper arms 40 of the oppositely disposed adjustable form devices 30 with a spacer bar 106 connecting the U-shaped portions to maintain the molding surfaces a predetermined distance from each other thereby accurately defining the concrete receiving cavity 52.

A slight modification of this construction is shown in FIGURES 20 and 21 wherein parts similar to the ernbodiment of FIGURES l to 3 are designated by like reference numerals followed by the suffix b. In this embodiment the legs of the form members of one adjustable form device are of a lesser vertical dimension, the lower form device being the grade form which facilitates finishing off the concrete by trowelling or the like. In this embodiment the spacer bar 10611 extends angularly between the U-s'haped portions 102b, 10411 to accommodate the variance in the height of the adjustable form devices.

In FIGURES 4 and 5 the smaller or second form member is shown as right angular to define a corner molding surface, parts similar to the embodiment of FIGURES 1 to 3 being designated by similar reference numerals followed by the suffix 0. In these figures only the smaller or second form members 34C are shown, although it will be readily understood that the right angular form could be the larger form member if desired. This embodiment is formed of two parts having complementary mitered j corners at in the upper and lower arms, one of the parts having an extending member 112 which abuts a member 114 carried by the other part. When the two parts are in related assembly, a C-clamp or other similar means 116 is utilized to secure the two parts to each other for use during the molding procedure.

A similar embodiment is shown in FIGURES 18 and 19 wherein similar parts are designated by the same reference numeral followed by the sufiix d. This embodiment is an integral corner member of a specific length, say 2 x 2', whereas the individual parts of the embodiment of FIG URES 4 and 5 will normallyl be substantially larger to be telescopingly adjusted in use.

The embodiment of FIGURES 6 and 7 is similar to the embodiment of FIGURES 4 and 5 and has like reference characters designated by the same reference numeral followed by the suffix e. This embodiment is modified by providing angular or batter molding surfaces, a batter corner being produced by the form member shown in FIG- URES 6 and 7. The lower vertical flange members in this instance are replaced by bars 60e having apertures 98e for reception of the hooks 96 of the flexible member 94 since the angular or batter molding surfaces extend to a point below the upper vertical fiange members 56e.

In FIGURES 14 and 15 the use of two substantially straight portions of batter mold members is illustrated to form a product 118 having oppositely disposed inclined surfaces, parts similar to the previous embodiments being designated by the same reference numeral followed by the suffix ji Referring now particularly to FIGURES 9 to l1 and 22, an adjustable form device in accordance with the instant invention for forming jogs in a batter molding procedure is illustrated with the similar parts designated by the same reference numeral followed by the sufiix g in FIGURES 9 and 22 and lz in FIGURES 10 and 11, the only difference between these two embodiments being that in the embodiment of FIGURES 10 and 11 the smaller form member 34h is inverted to define jogs of an opposite nature. In both embodiments the smaller form member has oppositely disposed end portions 120g and 12011 defining batter molding surfaces. The form device of either of these embodiments is utilized as shown in FIGURE 22 by positioning the same transversely of straight batter forms 30]'l with their end portion batter molding surfaces extending inwardly to define a concrete product 122 having portions 124, 126 of smaller cross section. It will be readily seen that the embodiments having straight rather than batter molding surfaces could be utilized in a similar manner.

It will be seen that a slightly modified form of means 36h for securing the form device to the supporting surface 38h is shown in FIGURES 10 and 11. The only differences between this embodiment and the embodiment shown in FIGURES 1 to 3 is that the notch 90h is not offset as much in the embodiment of FIGURES 10 and 11 whereby the stake 86h will be juxtapositioned to the upper and lower vertical fianges 54h and 58h, respectively.

A form aligning means is shown at 128 in FIGURE 8 as comprising a stake 130 engaged in the supporting surface 38, an aligning element 132 carried by the stake with portions of the opposite end of the aligning element defining a notch 134 engaged in the upper fiange of either of the form members defining the adjustable form device. Means 136 in the form of a turnbuckle are utilized to vary the length of the aligning member 132 whereby the form member may be pulled toward, or pushed away from, the stake 130 to correct a misaligned form member in a line of form members. The aligning member 132 is preferably pivotally secured to the stake 130 by an element 136 shown particularly in FIGURE 17 having a bifurcated end 138 pivotally receiving therebetween a locking member 140 with a chain 142 carrying a hook 144 engageable in an aperture in the stake 130. In this manner, the stake 130 may be readily removed from the aligning member 132 while the connecting means will not be lost.

For most purposes the alignment of the molding surfaces of the first and second form members is sufficiently accurate to preclude any necessity for adjustment. However, in particularly fine work an equalizing member 146 dimensioned to exactly align the molding surfaces may be utilized. This equalizing member is shown particularly in FIGURES 12 and 13 and is shown in dotted lines in FIGURES l and 2. In the embodiment of FIGURES 12 and 13 wherein parts similar to the other embodiments are designated by like reference characters followed by the sufiix z`, it will be seen that the equalizing member 146 is substantially right angular including a vertical flange member overlying the molding surface defined by the leg 50i of the second form member 341' and dimensioned to provide a new molding surface exactly aligned with the molding surface defined by the leg 481' of the first form member 352i. A top flange member 148 rests on the upper arm 421 in use.

The use and operation of the adjustable form device of the instant invention will now be apparent. The individual form members may be provided in any desired size and the first or larger form member may be secured in position by driving the stake carrying the collar with the offset notch into the ground and securing the portions of the collar defining the notch under the upper vertical fiange of the larger form member. The smaller form member may then be telescoped to the desired distance and it may be secured to the supporting surface in the same manner. If desired, an equalizing member may be utilized to exactly align the molding surfaces. Either embodiment of strengthening means may then be adjusted to provide a rigid backing in the molding surfaces. If necessary, the form aligning means may be utilized to correct the misalignment of one of the form members. A right angular form member may be telescopingly engaged in the larger form member whenever a corner is to be defined. Form members having batter molding surfaces or other specifically shaped molding surfaces may be utilized where desir-ed. Jogs, or portions of reduced crosssection may be readily made by utilizing form members having end portions defining molding surfaces, with the form members extending transversely to the remainder of the form members.

It will now be seen that `there is herein provided an improved adjustable form device which satisfies all of the objectives of the instant invention7 and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

Since many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and since many modifications may be made of the embodiments hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. An adjustable form device comprising a first form member having portions defining a molding surface, a second form member telescopingly received in said first form member and also having portions defining a molding surface substantially aligned with said molding surface of said first form member, means for securing said form device to a supporting surface, each of said form members being substantially C-shaped in cross-section and including upper and lower substantially horizontal arms, each having a pair of oppositely disposed, vertically aligned ends, a substantially vertical connecting leg extending between one of said pairs of vertically aligned ends of said arms, said leg having an inner surface disposed towards said arms and an outer surface disposed away from said arms, said outer surface defining said molding surface, upper and lower substantially vertical ange members extending toward each other from the other of said pairs of vertically aligned endsof said arms, and a strengthening means comprising an elongated rigid channel secured to said inner surface of said leg of one of said form members, an elongated rigid rod slidably received in said channel and having portions extending in juxtaposition to said inner surface of said leg of the other of said form members, a plurality of spaced apertures defined in said upper flange of said other form member, a hook engaged in one of said apertures, and a flexible member connecting said hook to the end of said rod.

2. An adjustable form device comprising a first form member having portions defining a molding surface, a second form member telescopingly received in said first form member and also having portions defining a molding surface substantially aligned with said molding surface of said first form member, means for securing said form device to a supporting surface, each of said form members being substantially C-shaped in cross-section and including upper and lower substantially horizontal arms, each having a pair of oppositely disposed, vertically aligned ends, a substantially vertical connecting leg extending between one of said pairs of vertically aligned ends of said arms, said leg having an inner surface disposed towards said arms and an outer surface disposed away from said arms, said outer surface defining said molding surface, upper and lower substantially vertical liange members extending toward each other from the other of said pairs of vertically aligned ends of said arms, and an equalizing member juxtaposed to said molding surface of said second form member and dimensioned to exactly align said molding surface of said second form member with said molding surface of said first form member.

3. The structure of claim 2 including a pair of adjustable form devices having molding surfaces oppositely disposed to define a concrete receiving cavity therebetween.

4. The structure of claim 3 further including a spreader member having a pair of U-shaped portions dimensioned to be slightly received over said upper arms of said pair of adjustable form devices, and a spacer bar connecting said U-shaped portions.

S. The structure of claim 4 wherein said connecting legs of said pair of adjustable form devices are of different vertical dimensions, said spacer bar extending angularly between said U-shaped portions to accommodate both of said adjustable form devices.

6. The structure of claim 2 further including a form aligning means comprising a stake engaged in the supporting surface, an aligning element having one end carried by said stake, portions of the other end of said aligning member defining a notch engaged with said upper flange of a misaligned form member, and means intermediate the ends of said aligning member to vary the length of the same.

7. The structure of claim 6 wherein said last-mentioned means includes a turnbuckle.

8. The structure of claim 2 further including strengthening means comprising a first elongated rigid angle member secured to said inner surface of said leg of one of said form members and defining a perpendicularly offset fiange, a second elongated rigid angle member having portions defining a perpendicularly offset flange slidingly received on said offset flange of said first angle member with portions extending in juxtaposition to said inner surface of said leg of the other of said form members, and means for securing said first and second angle members to each other in adjusted relation.

9. The structure of claim 2 wherein said means to secure said adjustable form device to a supporting surface includes at least One stake engaged in the supporting surface, a collar member slidingly received 4on said stake, an offset portion of said collar member defining a notch engaged with said upper ange of one of said form members, and means for securing said collar member to said stake in adjusted relation.

10. The structure of claim 9 further including a plurality of spaced apertures defined in said lower ange of said one form member below the point where said notch of said collar member engages said upper ange, and a resilient means secured over said stake and having a hook at each of its ends engaged in apertures on opposite sides of said stake.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1888 Barton 249-4 6/ 1903 Estell 249-8 11/ 1909 Morris 249-157 11/1913 Grant 249-192 2/ 1929 Heltzel 249-6 2/1933 Soule 249-192 12/ 1953 Yates 249-6 4/ 1962 Jennings.

3/1965 Bowden 249-196 FOREIGN PATENTS 7/ 1958 Australia. 9/1960 Canada.

J. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner.

G. A. KAP, Assistant Examiner. 

